BELMONT – After shedding eight seniors from the 2024-25 squad, the Duxbury ladies hockey staff is counting on a much less skilled group to maintain this system on the prime. The early returns have been promising.
Powered by a two-goal efficiency by freshman Ryleigh Burt and a shutout from freshman goaltender Brooklyn Metzler, the Dragons (2-0) cruised to a 4-0 victory over Belmont/Watertown.
“I believed this was a terrific take a look at,” Dragons coach Dan Najarian stated. “Belmont is a prime 10 staff within the state, Brendan Kelleher is a superb coach, and also you see a variety of civic delight on this constructing. Everyone stepped up and performed the way in which we wanted them to play.”
The Dragons have 9 first-year gamers and several other performed distinguished roles within the victory. Najarian stated the newcomers have actually impressed him and that they’ve potential to excel.
“This class is a particular class,” Najarian stated. “All of them play huge minutes. I’ve one on the primary line, one in objective, and they’re sprinkled all around the lineup. What extra are you able to ask for? I misplaced a terrific group of women final 12 months and the 12 months earlier than, and to have a brand new group like this are available in and excel is particular.”
The primary interval featured a major shot benefit for the Dragons however Marauders goaltender Elinor Dorn stood tall. Whereas Belmont was unable to generate many probabilities, they did have just a few high-end scoring alternatives that Metzler and the protection have been capable of squash.
“I feel our breakout was actually good and we have been simply working collectively as a staff,” Metzler stated. “The important thing was to remain calm, generally I can get a bit of nervous however I used to be capable of keep calm and get it completed.”
The second interval noticed the Marauders begin robust and generate some strain on Metzler. Nevertheless, the Dragons drew a penalty, and Liv Gleason was capable of collect some area, flash just a few toe drags and fireplace the puck previous Dorn for the sport’s opening objective.
A couple of minutes later, Duxbury doubled the lead by way of an Emily Camara blast from the purpose. This may be the entire scoring within the body because the Dragons headed to the intermission with a 2-0 lead.
“We moved some children round within the lineup,” Najarian stated. “We’re solely two video games in and have had only a handful of practices, so you might be simply throwing darts to determine what the strains can be. We’re nonetheless form of making an attempt to determine it out, however we discovered some line combos that labored at the moment, they usually have been capable of finding the again of the web.”
The third interval noticed Burt get each of her objectives. The primary got here early within the body when the freshman skated into the zone with the puck and fired it off of a defender and into the again of the web.
“I used to be simply making an attempt to maintain it on my stick, get the shot off and hopefully make one thing occur,” Burt stated of her first varsity objective.
Minutes later, Lucia Rose rushed the puck in the direction of the web and fired off a cross to Burt, who slid it throughout the road to make it a 4-0 sport.
“It felt superior,” Burt stated. “The help from my staff was superior, I used to be so excited to have a good time.”
Burt and her fellow first-years are excited to contribute to this system’s profitable tradition.
“Being with a gaggle that’s so proficient actually evokes me,” Burt stated. “It retains me going, exhibits me my potential and what I try to be as a participant.”
